Wilbeet l



(No Model.) Y

W. L. SWEETEN.

GDMBINBUBT AND BALI.

Patented 001;. 9, 1883.

No.l 286.570-,

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UIwrIED STATES COMBINED BAT AND BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,570, dama october 9, A1883.

Apimafan med May 28,1853. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBERT L. SWEETEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gamden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and comprising a ball, bat, and flexible or elastic c ord or connection. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates a bat, preferably made of wood, and of the form shown, but which may be of other material andmodified in shape, if desired. Said bat consists, essentially, of a handle, a, and body a. suitable construction, but which is preferably a hollow indiarubber ball, so as to be at once light, elastic, and soft in order that it may rebound readily and not be likely to injure the user by contact therewith in play or use. Said bat and ball are 'united to one another by aV flexible, elastic connection, C, which is preferably a strip or cord of pure or raw rubber, but may be any equivalent member possessing the requisite flexibility and elasticity. AThe ends of said cord may be connected to the bat and ballV in any appropriate `manner. ln practice I prefer to make the connection as follows: Aslit, b, is cut in the ball andd a knot formed on the end of -the rubber strip C. By compressinglthe sides of the ball the slit will be spread, so as to permit the knotted endof the cord to be introduced through it. When the compression of the ball is relaxed, the sides of the slit tend to come together, thus clamp-4 ing the cord, so as to prevent its knottedy end from being drawn out. Ahole, a2, is bored in the body of the bat A, and in or near the center thereof. One end of the cord is passed.

through this hole and then secured, so as to wILBEET LsWEETEN, on GAMDEN, NEw JERSEY;

employed in the iirst instance, it may be B is a ball of any ordinary orV of the latter the ball on its return is caught in.

PATENT Ormel;

avoid its pulling out. Kerfs (datare sawed in one edge of the batVr and the cord carried around so as to pass through these, said kerfs being slightly narrower than the normal dii ameter of the cord, so that when the latter is forced into said kerfs or introduced-after hav- Y ing its normal diameter reduced by draft or' elongation it will, by expansion, tend to retain itself in position. lf `suflic'zientcord be 6o i wrapped or wound several times, passing from kerf to kerf, so that it can be let out from time to time to take up or atone for waste, wear, or breakage. It can also be'drawn in through the hole and' taken up by wrapping or windn ing in the kerfs, .so as to reduce its length or to shorten the connection between the bat and ball. In this manner the toy is rendered ad- 'n justable to vary the play or extent of projection of the ball at the will of the'player, or toA accommodate different ages or sizes of persons using the toy, or to adapt the play of the toy to the size of anV apartment in whichfit is used, or to other'environments.` n

4The Vmethod of use is substantially as fol.- lows: The ball is first'either thrown in the air or'against the wall, floor, or ground, so as to cause it to bounce. On its rebound the i ball is struck by the bat, projecting it outwardly l or away from the latter,l producing a distenf` tion or elongation of the cord.- The contract-g ile tendency of the latter will then draw the ball backward, and its return shouldV be as-` sisted by a jerk or motion of the bat,`soas to y bring it toward the lattery and into such position that it may be again hit thereby;` Th operation is somewhat similar to that of the well-known return-ball, except that in the case the hand Aand thrown outwardly, while with my invention the ball is struck by the bat.` My invention also` differs from said return# ball in these respects: that I combinewith the ball a bat, and that l employ,preferentially, al soft,light ball, while 'in the other toy me tioned a solid ball is used. My toy also affords a different form of exercise from'the return-1, ball, and is less `likely toproduce damage o` injury to the user or surroundings than is the latter.

rubber strip orcord and a bat having an opening for the passage 'of said 'cord or strip, and kerfs for receiving and securing the latter to said bat, substantially as shown and described. i 5

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day, of

What I claim as my invention is as follows: l. The toy herein described, consisting of a ball, a bat, and a iieXible, elastic connection, substantially as set forth. 2. The combination of a ball, a bat, and an adjustable flexible and elastic connection, substantially as shownand described. May, 1883.

3. The combination of a bat, an india`rub VILBERT IJ. SWEETEN. ber'ball, and an india-rubber connecting strip Witnesses: i

Io or cord," substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a ball, of an india- WM. H. POWELL, LIsLE SToKEs. 

